The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1887-02-17
MINNESOTA NEWS.
MINNESOTA q. A. R.

The seventh annual encampment OF the
Department OF Minnesota, G. A. r. was
held at St. Paul. Nearly all the officers
were present and representatives from all
the posts. A committee. consisting OF C..
G. Andrews, G. Ives and s. p. Sni,icr, was
appoint ed to take steps looking to the in.
corporation OF the department under the
laws Of tho state. The report of the
committee appointed at the last encamp.
lnent or the matter OF the soldiers home
was read. The report set forth that the
committee had prepared the bill. intro.
dnced into the present legislature by Sena.
tor Pope, providing for an appropriation
OF 500, 600 for a home, $4,000 to be
spent Tor grounds. The bill was explained
in detail.
1t was vot ted that an earnest invitation
he extended to such members OF the lcgis-
lature az arc members OF the &. 4. +. to
be present and participate in the consid-
Grafton of the matter before the depart
ment. The following committee was
appointed to consider and report on all
resolutions and communications pertain
ing to pensions and hounties:
". ". Day, J.. NJ. Lange, W. w. Camp
bell, II. A. Cnstle J. II. Barrett
\ resolution was passed requesting the
legislature TO pass a Law making Memorial
day IL legal holiday. The assistant adult
ant general WIS authorized to send the
following telegram to Presitlsnt Clevel nd:
The Department of Minnesota, G. A. r.,
assembly in seventh annual encampmcnt,
unanimously endorses the provisions OF
the dependent soldiers pension bill, under
stood to be in your excellency's hands for
action, and urgently request your favor
able consideration thereof as a measure
OF justice. most urgently needed.
The reports Of the department officers
were then presented, synopsis OF which
follows:
The report OF Department Commander
William Thomas first commended the
unanimity Of feeling displayed on all sides
blythe members Of the cnc:.mpment in
the state.
Active steps had been taken to bring all the
members into closer harmony. The sum OF
$3.50 had been expended for postage and
travelling expenses. incident to working up
this better order OF things. Jan. !, 1856
there were 143 posts in this department,
1855 being reported. Jan. ;. 1887 there
were l5S posts, 80 being reported. There
we're eight delinquent each year. In $50
fifteen new posts were added. Jan. ], 1856,
the membership in good standing was
6,672:Jan.1 1887, Z, 5O5;n met gain, 1873 Lost
by death in 1886, So; reported dropped
800; suspended, 943. The report OF the
assistant quarterlb aster general shows
a balance on hand Feb. 8, 1886, 81, ST.
50; present balance :$3,272.93; net in
lief in the past year, 50, 1886; number of
comrades relieved, 125, number OF
other persons, 81; amount contributed to
the Grant monument fund, $S6.75; to
Charleston sufferers by earthquakes, $257-
IS.
Assistant Adjutant Daniel Fi;h of Min.
neapolis gave report OF the doinss OF his
Office, much OF which is found in the com.
mander's report. A complete list OF all the
was subjoined to thereport. The following
posts were organized during the year.
Gen. Hancock, No. 146, Henderson; Ord,
No. 20, St. Paul; f. S. Frazier, No. lat,
Park Rapids; Bircher, No. AS, st. Paul.
B. +. sweet. No. l4o, Heron Lake; D. G..
Ford, No. $50, Mazeppa; George s. Ad-
ans. No. ISL, Eagle Bend; Cassius Fair
child. No. l52: Dawson: l.. p. Pence. No.
LOB, Morristown; J. G. Whipple. No. 154,
Montrose; Gen. Shields, No. 1855, Shake
pee; Col. David Hughes. No. 1876, Lamber.
ton; Albert Woodbury., No. 1877, Cam
bridge; William r. Baxter, No. 15S, Chas-
ka;--No. los Renville.
With the minor changes mentioned the
Pope bill was unanimously endorsed. In
the afternoon there was a large amount of
routine business transacted and q long
" I':SOIutlOIlS was iiUODLeU. "A COnue0-
sation OF the same will be found below:
THEY RESOLVED.
We tender he artiest thanks to the commit.
tee on soldiers home for it's efficient labors
In behalf OF the Object committed to it's care,
velw OF past differences OF opinion as to de-
tails OF legislation required to establish a
soldiers home and to provide for Temporal
~ relief to such ex-soldiers as may not
desire to reside in such home; resolved,
that the compromise bill prepared by the
special committee OF the two houses OF the
legislature Pope's billy be approved and
Its passage urged in substantially the same
form. We gratefully express hearty
appreciation OF the noble. seli.sacrificing
work OF the Woman's Relief corps. The
adjutant general is to forward to each
post comm amber OF the department pa.
per setting forth the object OF the relief corps
with orders that it be read before each
post. Voted to appoint n committee OF
three to thoroughly investigate the claims
OF certain Minnesota soldiers as to which
was the first to enlist in the war; and, il
possible. to settle the question forever. II
this be possible, to definitely settle who
was the first man to enlist in the Union
army from Minnesota.
Maj T. NJ. Newson, Albert Scheffer and
J. j. McCardy were appointed.
The council OF Administration reported
the amount received for dues So, COG. 90.
The report OF Assistant Quartermaster
Quartermaster Pratt showed the
cash on hand Feb. il, S2,557..
50; total receipts for the year, ST.,
6Ol. 40; total disbursements. So, $50. IL;
balance on hama at date, 81, 277.93, oil
which $4,000 is on deposit at S per cent in
the Germania bank, St. Paul. The de-
partment commander elect was directed
to appoint n committee OF three to pro
cure u testimonial for the retiring com.
me nder, and chose Perry Starkweather
William Montgomery and W. w. P
Mcconnell as such committee
THE oFElcEKs-E1Ecr
The election OF officers was the most i'm
portant business OF the afternoon. while
the G. A. II. is supposed to be an entirely
hon'political organization, yet this does
not prevent any amount Of political wire
pulling on the inside when an election oil
was large amount OF quiet work
lone in this line. The last of the
officers were not chosen until nearly I
o'clock in the evening, after which the
leading ones were installed. The list O
otticers-elect for the ensuing year is as
follows:
Commander. L. l.. Whcelock. Owatonna
eeu!OE SlCc COH'ulduueI, T.. w. JEFFERSON
Duluth; junior vice commander. James
Eye, Minneapolis; medical director
D. P. Kennedy, Litchfeld; chaplain
W. T.. Stanley, Austin; council O.
administration. Thomas Montgomery, L
G. Nelson. Perry Starkwca thcr, r. c. Liv
ingstone, j. NJ. -. Croft; delegates to the
national encampment. James H. Drake
(at large), Joseph Bobleter, L. A. Han.
cock, George b. Arnold, \. Barto, NJ. H
Sessions. Samuel Bloomer. A. II. Fitch
Nlternates, Il. NJ. Pope lat large), c. H
Robinson, r. S. Davidson. w. +. Suthcr
land, G. II. Graves, Il. r. Perkins, DAME
Fish, Charles J. Steens.
After prolonged discussion it was re-
solved to meet next year in Minneapolis
and to hold the semi-annual summer ell
campmcnt at Sank Center. 1t had beer
decided to have II banquet III the evening
in Market hail. but this Was finally post
poned. The department adjourned sine
die about = o'clock in the evening.
l.. L. Wheclock of Owatanna, who has
been honorctl with the election as com
mandcr, is about fifty years OF age and
has, for the past twenty years, been resi-
dent OF the Slate of Minnesota. He came
here from the East and located in Ownt
onna which city has since been his home